"The thunderstorm is coming in quick."
The horses' hooves splash mud with every trot. Two travelers wearing red cloaks are speeding across the plains. Rain is coming down hard and trickles down the traveler's faces.
"Don't worry, we'll be there soon."
The other traveler is holding their stomach and panting.
"Where the hell is it?"
Lightning strikes the plains a half mile behind them. Finally, the travelers reach a 2-story bamboo hut surrounded by trees. The horse rider jumps off and helps the passenger off. They quickly knock on the door. It slowly opens and a woman wearing a violet silk robe pokes her head outside.
Woman: Hello? What are you doing here?
Traveler: Mei needs your help!
The woman glances at the person next to the traveler and gasps.
Woman: Quickly! Come inside!
The two travelers come inside and the woman shuts the door behind them. She runs over to a recliner-like chair and adjusts it.
Woman: Lay Mei down while I get Feng.
She runs up the wooden stairs and opens a door and walks in. The traveler takes off his cloak and the other travelers cloak to reveal a man and a woman. The woman is still holding her stomach. He lies her down on the recliner.
Man: Don't worry, just stay calm and breath steadily.
The woman with the silk robe runs downstairs with an old man with squinty eyes and graying hair. He sees the two travelers and gasps.
Shao Feng: Lord Sun Jian! Lady Sun Mei! What are you two doing here?
Sun Jian: All of the doctors at the eastern ocean were all up north at the festival.
Woman: They went 30 miles just to get here.
Shao Feng: And in the middle of the storm??
The woman nudges Feng in the ribs.
Shao Feng: Oh, right! Okay Mei, you'll have to push as hard as you can. Miss Wen, please inject the shot.
The woman gets a needle from the drawer that is filled with a light blue liquid. She gently holds Mei's arm and injects it.
Sun Jian: What was the shot for?
Shao Feng: It's to calm her nerves, making the process hurt less.
Sun Jian nods and grips Lady Mei's hand. She is panting and groaning.
Lady Mei: I hate you! I hate you!
Wen: Don't take it personally, that's what women always say.
Sun Jian is the 22-year-old ruler of a few southern cities. He is the descendant of the legendary warlord, Sun Tzu. Upon achieving the few cities he owns, he named his territory "Wu".
Shao Feng: Oh--oh! Here it comes! One final push, Mei!
Lady Mei does so, and all of a sudden a loud cry fills the room. Shao Feng hands it to the woman assistant and she takes it over to what resembles a large sink and washes him off. A few minutes later, she comes back over holding the baby in a colorful quilt.
Wen: Congratulations Jian, it's a boy!
Mei's face changes back to regular color and the woman hands the baby to her.
Shao Feng: I'm surprised you didn't faint Jian.
Sun Jian: I have a strong will.
Lady Mei while smiling: Just like our little boy will.
Sun Jian thinks for a minute and then gasps.
Sun Jian: For the future of the family, for the future of our land, I name this newborn baby Ce!
Shao Feng: Lord Sun Ce of Changsha. Well done Jian.
::Qiao, Yuzhou Province, 5 years later::
Inside the city of Qiao lives a peaceful community. This is also the birthplace of a man that would become a legend throughout China's history. At a cabana near a small river, a boy walks out the front doorway and sits down on the porch.
Boy: Fine, I give up.
Two boys, one older and one younger come out from the back of the cabana.
Older Boy: Cao Cao, you didn't even try!
Younger Boy: If you're ever going to get better at this game, you have to look around for clues!
The boy on the porch stands up and looks off the edge of the porch.
Cao Cao: Dun, Yuan, I told you that I'm not good at Tracker.
The older one, Xiahou Yuan, shakes his head. The younger one, Xiahou Dun takes a big breath.
Xiahou Dun: Tracker tests your tracking skills and speed. If you don't practice, you'll never get bumped up a training rank.
Xiahou Yuan: Forget that! Who's up for a round of archery?
Cao Cao rolls his eyes and jumps off the porch.
Cao Cao: Fine, but only one round.
Right then, a man wearing a battle garb and a unusually mean face walks out the front doorway and glares at the 3 boys.
Man: CAO CAO what did I tell you to do this morning?
Cao Cao looks confused and looks back at his cousins. They take a step back and Cao Cao looks back at the man.
Cao Cao: Father, I took care of all of the animals and I-
Cao Song: Cao, get up here.
Cao Cao hangs his head low and walks back to the porch as his cousins look at each other with questionable faces. They continue to observe as Cao Song talks quieter to Cao Cao.
Cao Cao: But father I made sure they were fed.
Cao Song: ALL OF OUR ANIMALS BROKE OUT OF THEIR PENS!
Cao Cao: DON'T SHOUT AT ME! IT WAS A MISTAKE!
Cao Song backhand slaps Cao Cao and he falls to the ground. Cao Cao groans and holds his face and he's bleeding. Cao Song then kicks him in the stomach and Cao Cao yelps and rolls. Cao Song swears at him then walks back inside. Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan run up to Cao Cao and go to their knees.
Xiahou Yuan: Cousin! Are you ok?!?
Cao Cao coughs up blood and holds his stomach.
Xiahou Dun: Uncle Song had no right to do that!
Cao Cao: We survive on ::cough:: selling and butchering livestock. Without the animals, we can't get any profits ::cough::.
Cao Cao's cousins help him up and Xiahou Dun uses his shirtsleeve to wipe blood off the side of Cao Cao's face.
Cao Cao: He wouldn't have done that if I wouldn't had talked back.
Xiahou Yuan: That's still no excuse.
Cao Cao: I'd better continue with my chores.
Xiahou Dun looks worried and looks at Xiahou Yuan.
Xiahou Yuan: We'll come back over later.
They both walk to the backyard and through the fields back towards their house. Cao Cao thinks for a minute and gasps.
Cao Cao: Dun, Yuan!
They both turn around and look back at Cao Cao.
Cao Cao: Meet me back here precisely at 10 marks past the high sun.
They look confused and nod. They turn around and run back through the fields and trample over weeds and flowers. Cao Cao sighs and wipes off the sweat from his forehead and looks up at the sky. He walks back inside and begins to execute his plan.
::9 hours later::
It is nighttime and the crickets and owls chirp and hoot making somewhat of a melody that carries throughout the outskirts of the city. Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan sneak along the side of the house and go to the front doorway. Cao Cao whispers for them to come inside. They follow his voice up the spiral wooden stairs to an attic-like room that is foggy and apparently Cao Cao's sleeping quarters. Upon their arrival, Cao Cao is packing clothes into a tan leather bag.
Xiahou Dun: Cao, what are you doing?
Cao Cao: Packing my belongings.
Xiahou Yuan: Why?
Cao Cao: I no longer desire to be surrounded by incompetence. I know that this is not my destiny. If I continue to be sheltered up and abused by someone who I don't even consider to be my real father, my future will become a spiral of tormenting misery.
Xiahou Dun: WHAT?!? He is your real father!
Cao Cao puts his index finger on his lips. Dun looks shocked.
Cao Cao talking softer: Since he treats me like this, I don't want him to be my real father.
Xiahou Yuan: Where will you go??
Cao Cao: To the north to the city of Xu Chang. I am going to start my life over and have it unfold the way I want to.
Xiahou Dun: But you have no money! No food! No shelter! No transportation!
Cao Cao: If everything turns out the way I want to, the things I need will come to me.
Xiahou Dun: Cousin, you can't go up north all alone! You will die!
Xiahou Yuan: That's right! We're going with you!
Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun both look at Yuan with surprised faces. Dun nods.
Xiahou Dun: I suppose that we'll have to, won't we?
Cao Cao sighs a sigh of relief and finishes packing his things and ties the opening of the bag together.
Cao Cao: Oh, one more thing.
Cao Cao reaches on the top of his shelf and grabs a smooth mirror with a golden frame surrounding it engraved with diamonds. He looks at his reflection and a single tear runs down his cheek. Cao Cao was a teenager with 15 years of age, Yuan 16, Dun turning 14. Cao Cao always had a broad structure, mainly due to his work in the fields and tending to the animals. Xiahou Yuan had a little more weight to him, giving him an advantage in fights at school. Xiahou Dun was a little shorter than Cao Cao, and liked to play with wooden swords with his father. Xiahou Yuan enjoyed archery more than anything, and held the record for getting 53 bullseyes in a row. Cao Cao combed his hair a little bit and put his mirror in his leather bag.
Xiahou Dun: What's that?
Cao Cao: Father said that it was my mother's.my real mother's mirror. She had it made when I was an infant.
The room grows silent and the eerie pale moonlight shines bright through the window.
Xiahou Yuan: On our way, we'll have to stop at our house to get our things and some food.
Cao Cao nods and they quietly walk out of the attic and come back down the stairs. They stop for a moment and make sure that they can hear Cao Song's snores and they head out the front doorway. Dun and Yuan walk down the porch steps, but Cao Cao stops. He tosses his bag to Xiahou Yuan and he catches it.
Xiahou Yuan: What are you doing?
Cao Cao: Wait here.
Cao Cao walks back inside and heads down a short hall to Cao Song's bedroom. He walks in and sees Song sleeping in his bed. Cao Cao places his hand on his bruised cheek and then tiptoes over to the left wall and takes a rather dusty sword off the shelf. He walks over to Song's bed and goes to his knees and whispers to himself.
"Heavens, please guide me through this time of need. This fodder shall never burden my conscience again. Embrace me with the power to be a leader of many. Upon this day I shall be known as a separate from this man. I believe that this will set the tone for my future."
Cao Cao rises to his feet and raises the sword above his head. He then thrusts it through Cao Song's heart. He leaves the room not making a sound, leaving the sword inside the man who once made him suffer. He calmly walks out on the front porch and nods to his cousins who are swatting away bugs. Both of Cao Cao's cousins look up at him.
Cao Cao: North, to Xu Chang.
The horses' hooves splash mud with every trot. Two travelers wearing red cloaks are speeding across the plains. Rain is coming down hard and trickles down the traveler's faces.
"Don't worry, we'll be there soon."
The other traveler is holding their stomach and panting.
"Where the hell is it?"
Lightning strikes the plains a half mile behind them. Finally, the travelers reach a 2-story bamboo hut surrounded by trees. The horse rider jumps off and helps the passenger off. They quickly knock on the door. It slowly opens and a woman wearing a violet silk robe pokes her head outside.
Woman: Hello? What are you doing here?
Traveler: Mei needs your help!
The woman glances at the person next to the traveler and gasps.
Woman: Quickly! Come inside!
The two travelers come inside and the woman shuts the door behind them. She runs over to a recliner-like chair and adjusts it.
Woman: Lay Mei down while I get Feng.
She runs up the wooden stairs and opens a door and walks in. The traveler takes off his cloak and the other travelers cloak to reveal a man and a woman. The woman is still holding her stomach. He lies her down on the recliner.
Man: Don't worry, just stay calm and breath steadily.
The woman with the silk robe runs downstairs with an old man with squinty eyes and graying hair. He sees the two travelers and gasps.
Shao Feng: Lord Sun Jian! Lady Sun Mei! What are you two doing here?
Sun Jian: All of the doctors at the eastern ocean were all up north at the festival.
Woman: They went 30 miles just to get here.
Shao Feng: And in the middle of the storm??
The woman nudges Feng in the ribs.
Shao Feng: Oh, right! Okay Mei, you'll have to push as hard as you can. Miss Wen, please inject the shot.
The woman gets a needle from the drawer that is filled with a light blue liquid. She gently holds Mei's arm and injects it.
Sun Jian: What was the shot for?
Shao Feng: It's to calm her nerves, making the process hurt less.
Sun Jian nods and grips Lady Mei's hand. She is panting and groaning.
Lady Mei: I hate you! I hate you!
Wen: Don't take it personally, that's what women always say.
Sun Jian is the 22-year-old ruler of a few southern cities. He is the descendant of the legendary warlord, Sun Tzu. Upon achieving the few cities he owns, he named his territory "Wu".
Shao Feng: Oh--oh! Here it comes! One final push, Mei!
Lady Mei does so, and all of a sudden a loud cry fills the room. Shao Feng hands it to the woman assistant and she takes it over to what resembles a large sink and washes him off. A few minutes later, she comes back over holding the baby in a colorful quilt.
Wen: Congratulations Jian, it's a boy!
Mei's face changes back to regular color and the woman hands the baby to her.
Shao Feng: I'm surprised you didn't faint Jian.
Sun Jian: I have a strong will.
Lady Mei while smiling: Just like our little boy will.
Sun Jian thinks for a minute and then gasps.
Sun Jian: For the future of the family, for the future of our land, I name this newborn baby Ce!
Shao Feng: Lord Sun Ce of Changsha. Well done Jian.
::Qiao, Yuzhou Province, 5 years later::
Inside the city of Qiao lives a peaceful community. This is also the birthplace of a man that would become a legend throughout China's history. At a cabana near a small river, a boy walks out the front doorway and sits down on the porch.
Boy: Fine, I give up.
Two boys, one older and one younger come out from the back of the cabana.
Older Boy: Cao Cao, you didn't even try!
Younger Boy: If you're ever going to get better at this game, you have to look around for clues!
The boy on the porch stands up and looks off the edge of the porch.
Cao Cao: Dun, Yuan, I told you that I'm not good at Tracker.
The older one, Xiahou Yuan, shakes his head. The younger one, Xiahou Dun takes a big breath.
Xiahou Dun: Tracker tests your tracking skills and speed. If you don't practice, you'll never get bumped up a training rank.
Xiahou Yuan: Forget that! Who's up for a round of archery?
Cao Cao rolls his eyes and jumps off the porch.
Cao Cao: Fine, but only one round.
Right then, a man wearing a battle garb and a unusually mean face walks out the front doorway and glares at the 3 boys.
Man: CAO CAO what did I tell you to do this morning?
Cao Cao looks confused and looks back at his cousins. They take a step back and Cao Cao looks back at the man.
Cao Cao: Father, I took care of all of the animals and I-
Cao Song: Cao, get up here.
Cao Cao hangs his head low and walks back to the porch as his cousins look at each other with questionable faces. They continue to observe as Cao Song talks quieter to Cao Cao.
Cao Cao: But father I made sure they were fed.
Cao Song: ALL OF OUR ANIMALS BROKE OUT OF THEIR PENS!
Cao Cao: DON'T SHOUT AT ME! IT WAS A MISTAKE!
Cao Song backhand slaps Cao Cao and he falls to the ground. Cao Cao groans and holds his face and he's bleeding. Cao Song then kicks him in the stomach and Cao Cao yelps and rolls. Cao Song swears at him then walks back inside. Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan run up to Cao Cao and go to their knees.
Xiahou Yuan: Cousin! Are you ok?!?
Cao Cao coughs up blood and holds his stomach.
Xiahou Dun: Uncle Song had no right to do that!
Cao Cao: We survive on ::cough:: selling and butchering livestock. Without the animals, we can't get any profits ::cough::.
Cao Cao's cousins help him up and Xiahou Dun uses his shirtsleeve to wipe blood off the side of Cao Cao's face.
Cao Cao: He wouldn't have done that if I wouldn't had talked back.
Xiahou Yuan: That's still no excuse.
Cao Cao: I'd better continue with my chores.
Xiahou Dun looks worried and looks at Xiahou Yuan.
Xiahou Yuan: We'll come back over later.
They both walk to the backyard and through the fields back towards their house. Cao Cao thinks for a minute and gasps.
Cao Cao: Dun, Yuan!
They both turn around and look back at Cao Cao.
Cao Cao: Meet me back here precisely at 10 marks past the high sun.
They look confused and nod. They turn around and run back through the fields and trample over weeds and flowers. Cao Cao sighs and wipes off the sweat from his forehead and looks up at the sky. He walks back inside and begins to execute his plan.
::9 hours later::
It is nighttime and the crickets and owls chirp and hoot making somewhat of a melody that carries throughout the outskirts of the city. Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan sneak along the side of the house and go to the front doorway. Cao Cao whispers for them to come inside. They follow his voice up the spiral wooden stairs to an attic-like room that is foggy and apparently Cao Cao's sleeping quarters. Upon their arrival, Cao Cao is packing clothes into a tan leather bag.
Xiahou Dun: Cao, what are you doing?
Cao Cao: Packing my belongings.
Xiahou Yuan: Why?
Cao Cao: I no longer desire to be surrounded by incompetence. I know that this is not my destiny. If I continue to be sheltered up and abused by someone who I don't even consider to be my real father, my future will become a spiral of tormenting misery.
Xiahou Dun: WHAT?!? He is your real father!
Cao Cao puts his index finger on his lips. Dun looks shocked.
Cao Cao talking softer: Since he treats me like this, I don't want him to be my real father.
Xiahou Yuan: Where will you go??
Cao Cao: To the north to the city of Xu Chang. I am going to start my life over and have it unfold the way I want to.
Xiahou Dun: But you have no money! No food! No shelter! No transportation!
Cao Cao: If everything turns out the way I want to, the things I need will come to me.
Xiahou Dun: Cousin, you can't go up north all alone! You will die!
Xiahou Yuan: That's right! We're going with you!
Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun both look at Yuan with surprised faces. Dun nods.
Xiahou Dun: I suppose that we'll have to, won't we?
Cao Cao sighs a sigh of relief and finishes packing his things and ties the opening of the bag together.
Cao Cao: Oh, one more thing.
Cao Cao reaches on the top of his shelf and grabs a smooth mirror with a golden frame surrounding it engraved with diamonds. He looks at his reflection and a single tear runs down his cheek. Cao Cao was a teenager with 15 years of age, Yuan 16, Dun turning 14. Cao Cao always had a broad structure, mainly due to his work in the fields and tending to the animals. Xiahou Yuan had a little more weight to him, giving him an advantage in fights at school. Xiahou Dun was a little shorter than Cao Cao, and liked to play with wooden swords with his father. Xiahou Yuan enjoyed archery more than anything, and held the record for getting 53 bullseyes in a row. Cao Cao combed his hair a little bit and put his mirror in his leather bag.
Xiahou Dun: What's that?
Cao Cao: Father said that it was my mother's.my real mother's mirror. She had it made when I was an infant.
The room grows silent and the eerie pale moonlight shines bright through the window.
Xiahou Yuan: On our way, we'll have to stop at our house to get our things and some food.
Cao Cao nods and they quietly walk out of the attic and come back down the stairs. They stop for a moment and make sure that they can hear Cao Song's snores and they head out the front doorway. Dun and Yuan walk down the porch steps, but Cao Cao stops. He tosses his bag to Xiahou Yuan and he catches it.
Xiahou Yuan: What are you doing?
Cao Cao: Wait here.
Cao Cao walks back inside and heads down a short hall to Cao Song's bedroom. He walks in and sees Song sleeping in his bed. Cao Cao places his hand on his bruised cheek and then tiptoes over to the left wall and takes a rather dusty sword off the shelf. He walks over to Song's bed and goes to his knees and whispers to himself.
"Heavens, please guide me through this time of need. This fodder shall never burden my conscience again. Embrace me with the power to be a leader of many. Upon this day I shall be known as a separate from this man. I believe that this will set the tone for my future."
Cao Cao rises to his feet and raises the sword above his head. He then thrusts it through Cao Song's heart. He leaves the room not making a sound, leaving the sword inside the man who once made him suffer. He calmly walks out on the front porch and nods to his cousins who are swatting away bugs. Both of Cao Cao's cousins look up at him.
Cao Cao: North, to Xu Chang.